


A Kind of Fairytale

by Balletvamp



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, M/M, WIP
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-15
Updated: 2012-11-15
Packaged: 2017-11-18 17:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/563468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Balletvamp/pseuds/Balletvamp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Supernatural faerie AU.  Just snippets of a work in progress. Figured I'd post it here in hopes of getting inspiration and the like.  Notes at the end have a list of my current thinking for each character's species.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Kind of Fairytale

( This starts in the middle of the story. It's not ACTUALLY the beginning. )

"Hey, come on, kiddo. I thought we were friends," Gabriel circled Sam at a distance, posture convincingly relaxed, hands open in a gesture of good will, but his eyes were bright and sharp and the hunter wasn't fooled.

"And I thought you were human," Sam replied, trying to keep the thick strain of betrayal from his voice. He moved back, keeping the space between them large enough for parrying. The long iron knife was heavy and cold in his hand, "I guess we're both disappointed."

Gabriel's brows furrowed and his golden eyes were being slowly swallowed by crimson. He glanced down at the knife before taking a careful step forward, hands still held out beseechingly. In reaction, Sam brought the blade up, a more obvious threat.

"I haven't changed, Sammy," voice softer now, Gabriel let his head dip, tawny strands of hair falling in his face and partially obscuring his sanguine gaze, "I'm still the same person, you just know me a little better now."

Sam's laugh was a harsh bark in the quiet room. His knees had hit the edge of his desk, hard and final behind him. The bedroom was on the smaller side and both window and door were out of reach beyond Gabriel's misleadingly petite form. For all intents and purposes, Sam was trapped. 

"You're not a "person" at all," he sneered, hand gripping the hilt of the knife tighter, his own fingernails digging into the soft flesh of his palm, "Though you certainly played it well. Gotta give you props on that. You even fooled Dean, and that's tough. You're still looking human…mostly. So you must actually be able to change form, not just glamour yourself. 'Cause I should be able to see through glamour, what with the oil and the amulets. Some power you got there. What's that make you? "

"Harsh words, from a mongrel," Gabriel was smiling again, though the taller boy could see it was strained, forced, "You look pretty damn human yourself, but I know better. You're tainted. Mixed blood. A monster."

Sam lunged forward with an enraged howl, quick enough for his bare feet to burn on the carpeted floor, blade slashing…only to meet thin air as Gabriel danced easily out of the way. It threw the hunter off balance and in the moment it took him to right himself, the other man had moved in and hit, tossing Sam as easily as if he were a small child.

The desk banged loudly against the wall as his body hit it, but this was student housing and it had born worse. It held. The chair didn't fare as well, breaking beneath the impact and Sam found himself laying painfully amid splintered wood. He moaned once in pain, though he moved quickly to sit up, cursing when he saw his knife trapped beneath Gabriel's foot, where the other crouched watching him, smirking.

"As I was saying," he commented lightly, as though speaking of the weather, "It seems kinda hypocritical of you to be judging me for my background, when it's one you share, however distantly."

Licking blood from a cut on his lip, Sam glared mutinously.

"You threw me like it was nothing," he tried not to wince in pain, "That kind of strength, you must be a member of one of the courts. So which is it? Seelie or Unseelie? Light or dark fae?"

Gabriel's smile faded, slowly, and for some reason it made Sam think of the color washing out of a painting, of youth fading with age.

"Would it surprise you to know there's really quite little difference between them?" the faery asked, capricious visage for once sober. He paused, chuckled, before answering his own question, "No, I suppose of all people, it wouldn't surprise you."

He rose from his crouch, hands pushing off his knees, leaving him standing over Sam, looking down. Watching the tangle of long limbs and floppy hair that was, or had been, his friend, Gabriel seemed to consider before continuing.

"To answer your question, technically speaking, I'm of the Seelie. The shining throng," he snorted, seemingly finding some amusement in this description, "Son of Raghnall, first king of the Light fae." 

He laughed again, mirthlessly, at the shock in Sam's eyes before shaking his head.

"I should say, I WAS of the Seelie. I'm in exile. Self banishment, actually, for an age or two now." 

"But, you," the hunter was sputtering, trying to gather his now scattered thoughts at this revelation, "You're royalty! You're a prince!"

"I suppose that makes you want to kill me even more now, huh?" Gabriel observed, stepping forward and kneeling again so he was fully within Sam's space, watching with a blank expression as the other shoved himself backward, alarm maybe even fear evident in his expression, as far as he could amid the wreckage of the chair. 

"Well, in case you were wondering," the blonde fae went on, "I left because I grew weary of life at court. Especially when I was considered an abomination by many, since my existence is thanks to dear old dad having himself a piece of pooka pie."

At the flash of confusion in Sam's look, Gabriel continued.

"My mother was a pooka, one of the more…wild fae. She was not of either court and happier for it, I'm sure. That's where the-" here he gestured at his burning red eyes, "comes from." 

Sam, of course, knew very well what a pooka was, but wisely kept his mouth shut for the time being, letting the smaller man continue on.

"Anyway," Gabriel shrugged, "Got tired of the petty fighting and needless bloodshed of Seelie life and decided it was time to take a walk and wash my hands of it. Been in hiding ever since."

The ensuing quiet was near deafening. The two gazed at each other, measuring. Sam tried to wrap his mind around what Gabriel was telling him, a hundred thoughts flitting through his mind at once. He could use this, he knew. Gabriel was a lost prince, surely that was something either court would gladly bargain for. Or he could kill Gabe, leave his body at the sithen, one of the fairy mounds, as a warning of what the Winchester brothers were capable of. 

But just as quickly, his mind shied away from such gruesome thoughts. This was his friend. Or had been his friend, had been someone he hoped would be…something more even. But that had all been a lie. Faeries lied, even while telling the truth. They charmed and they destroyed. They delighted in tormenting humans, found joy in suffering. It's what they did. And Gabriel was one of them. He was the enemy. Wasn't he?

Sam shook his head, long hair swaying, trying to clear his mind. Gabriel just watched, red eyes foreign and unreadable. Then he reached down, towards the knife, and Sam flinched, about to heave himself forward, guided by desperation.

But Gabriel grabbed hold of the blade, instead of the hilt, and held it out to the taller boy, expression earnest and almost pleading. The pure emotion written over the other's features was a near physical shock to Sam and his chest clenched in empathy. The years, the weariness, aching loneliness, and underneath that the raw want and need. It was painful to behold.

"We're on the same side, Sammy," It was partially the nickname, one only his father and Dean usually used, and partially the growing smell of burning flesh and a hint of smoke rising from where Gabriel gripped the iron, that stayed the hunter and decided him. Instead of attacking, he took the offered blade after only a slight hesitation, and Gabriel gave it up easily, though he bit his lip and Sam winced in empathy at the layer of skin that came away with it.

Looking down at the weapon he now held, Sam considered his options, hazel eyes flickering between the iron and Gabriel's wounded palm, flesh raw and bubbling. With an exasperated huff, he shoved the knife in a holster beneath his pant leg before grabbing Gabriel's wrist.

The other started in surprise and made to tug his hand back before he realized Sam was merely examining the wound, brows furrowed in what looked considerably like concern.

"We should get ice for this, it's a bad burn," Gabriel was trying not to melt into those puppy dog eyes and went with sarcasm in defense.

"Thank you, captain obvious," he snarked, standing and in doing so, dragged the younger Winchester brother up with him, "But it'll be fine. Heal in no time. Super powers and all that. Perks of the job." He winked and was rewarded with the taller boy rolling his eyes before blushing and looking away.

Which, of course, was the moment Dean and Castiel burst in and things went to hell all over again. Everything seemed to happen at once. Gabriel turned, unnervingly quickly, preternaturally quickly, impossible to miss. Dean's easy going grin seemed caught for a moment, as the elder Winchester locked gazes with Gabriel, taking in the glowing red eyes. The familiar smile frozen in cold shock reminded Sam, who could only look on speechless in surprise, of a broken doll, frightening and alien. Then the grin was gone amid Dean swearing and throwing himself at Gabriel, all violence and promise of pain, leaving Castiel standing lost in the bedroom doorway.

Sam's surprise only increased when he saw why Gabriel had been calling Cas his brother, though it shouldn't have been a revelation. Of course, it was so obvious now. It wasn't by blood that they were bound. In a moment, Sam had taken in Castiel's true form, glamour stripped away now, probably due to Gabriel's severe distraction. Because, the younger Winchester surmised, it had to be Gabriel who'd been holding Castiel's glamour in place if it couldn't be seen even while wearing fairy oil.

But now, Castiel's blue eyes weren't just blue, they were liquid sapphires, huge, sparkling, and deep, without any sign of a pupil and his skin was so pale and paper thin looking, shot through with delicate spider webbing of blue and purple veins. His dark hair was longer, brushing just past his shoulders and though there was no breeze, it was floating as though a gentle wind were lifting it. Behind him, stretching up and back into the hallway, were giant gossamer wings, nearly see through with slight opalescence. He was all angles and hollows, looking like he'd bruise at the slightest touch and yet, Sam sensed a deep strength running beneath it all.

He caught Sam looking and the hunter could feel the moment the other realized he was being seen, seen for what he truly was. This all happened in mere moments and it came down to Sam to decide whether to stop Dean and Gabriel from trying to kill each other or stop Cas amid what was likely a fight or flight senario. The younger Winchester went on instincts, using his size and voice.

"Whoa! STOP!" he was bellowing as he threw his hands out, as if trying to halt a stampeding animal or oncoming vehicle, "Everyone stop! Just hold on a second!" 

Cas was frozen still, hand gripping the door frame like a lifeline, while Dean and Gabriel stopped mid fight, possibly just due to surprise. It appeared Dean had the smaller man pinned beneath him on the floor, until a closer look revealed that while the hunter may have knocked Gabriel off his feet, the faery was actually holding Dean's throat in a vice grip above him, as the Winchester clawed desperately at the fingers squeezing the life from him.

At Sam's exasperated look, Gabriel released Dean with a little shove and the older Winchester scrambled backwards, coughing and choking before falling on his ass. This was enough to spur Castiel into motion and a moment later he was kneeling at Dean's side, worriedly brushing long fingers over the angry red flesh of the other's throat. Sam noted that Cas' glamour was back in place before Dean had ever noticed it's lack. Good thinking on Gabriel's part. One trauma at a time.

"Fucking fairy scum," Dean swore, voice thick and abused, while glaring at Gabriel, "I'll kill you." 

Castiel seemed torn, unsure whose aid to come to and lost as to what was going on. It occurred to Sam, looking on, that while Gabriel seemed perfectly aware of whom the Winchesters were, Castiel might very well have no idea. He wasn't sure yet what manner of fae Cas was, but Sam was willing to bet Gabriel's adopted brother had had little to no dealings with either court.

"I think," Sam began, trying to sound reasonable, "We all need to sit down and have a talk."

"What is this," Dean snarled, shaking off Cas' hands and rising to his feet, "Friggin' Oprah? We don't need to talk, we need to gank this changeling or whatever the hell it is and find what he did with the real Gabe and hope he's not in pieces."

Gabriel was on his feet now as well, grinning like this was all some fantastic game, though at least he'd retreated enough to put Sam between himself and Dean.

"Not real quick on the uptake, is he, your bro?" he quipped at Sam, while winking at Dean. 

"Oh, I'm gonna enjoy killing you," Dean growled, swooping to pick up Sam's forgotten knife.

"Dean!" Sam and Cas admonished together, surround sound pique and disapproving glares. Grinding to a halt in his slow stalk towards a smirking Gabriel, Dean ignored Sam and swung to Cas with a heavy sigh and apologetic look.

"Cas, man, I'm sorry," he started, reaching for the other with his free hand. The dark haired boy shied back and Sam hoped Dean read it as merely confusion and distress, instead of the more likely fear of the iron the elder Winchester was holding. If Dean realized both of the Novaks were faeries, shit was going to hit the fan in monumentally epic way.

"This isn't your brother," Dean was trying for empathy, his tone softer, "Or maybe isn't your brother anymore. Something either has taken over his life or possessed his body."

"You're a killer," Cas' voice was a little breathy and the tone somewhere between a statement and a question. T

"No, guys, come on, sit down so we can talk rationally," Sam broke in again, gesturing to the room's bed and floor, as Dean began to shake his head, "This IS Gabriel. This is what he's always been and nobody is killing anyone."

Now Dean's surprise was directed towards Sam, the hurt of betrayal in those bright green eyes sending a pang of guilt and shame straight to the younger Winchester's chest.

"You knew about this, Sammy?" he demanded while Cas and Gabriel both moved to sit next to each other on the bed, skirting around the brothers and any imminent violence.

"No, damnit, Dean," the taller huffed, taking a seat on the edge of his desk and refusing to get brought into a spat with his brother, "I just found out before you got her. But, if you'd just stop yelling and listen for a minute, everything can get explained."

Dean looked dubious, fingers tightening and loosing their grip on the blade's hilt, while he looked between the others in the room and finally rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall next to the door.

**Author's Note:**

> John Winchester has been moving his two children around the country for years and has finally settled them here, nearly in the middle of nowhere, for one reason: on the edge of this seemingly unremarkable town, there is a fairy sithen, or fairy mound, the underground dwelling of the fae folk. 
> 
> Nineteen years previous, when Sam had been just a baby still nursing from their mother, Mary, something had stolen into their suburban house, creeping in like a shadow in the deep hours of the night, red eyes burning like smoldering embers and full of wicked intentions. Mary had screamed once, shattering the peace of the quiet house, and John, closely followed by a dewey eyed Dean, had gotten to Sammy's bedroom in time to witness the young mother being dragged out the window by something large, sinewy, and vaguely dog-like.
> 
> At the time of course, the first assumption wasn't 'fairies'. The police, after first suspecting John of foul play, ended up blaming it on wild dogs
> 
> John- Faerie hunter, looking to either find and retrieve Mary or avenge her.  
> Bobby- Faerie hunter, got into hunting through seeking revenge for Karen being attacked while pregnant and drained of life through a lingering illness  
> Ellen- Bobby's love interest now and a faerie hunter though trying to keep her daughter out of the life  
> Jo- Wants to hunt faeries, is fairly good at it when not being stopped by Ellen. Senior in high school, but spends a lot of time at the university either at the bar her mum owns or hanging with Ash and his friends. Has a thing for Dean, but likes Cas.  
> Ash- Was a human exchanged with a changeling but later freed by Bobby and Ellen. Lives with Ellen and is a student at the university.  
> Rufus- Professor of mythology, folklore, and the like. Friends with Bobby, John, and Ellen
> 
> Lucifer and Eve- King and Queen of the Unseelie  
> Michael- King of the Seelie  
> Lilith-  
> Anna- A Seelie princess, a kind of mer-fae but she was given to humans, a changeling. She grew up to love her human family. Gabriel is her half brother and shunned because his father was one of the wild fae  
> Gabriel- Half Seelie, Half Pooka  
> Uriel-  
> Raph-  
> Ruby- Each-Uisage so basically Anna's like but opposite since Ruby would be the kind of kelpie like creature that convinces people to ride her and then kills them  
> Alastair-  
> Death- King of the Wild Hunt, also: Ankou and other personifications of death. All him.  
> Balthazar: Scottish incubus fae. Minor Seelie nobility, friendly with Anna. Currently enrolled at the same college as Sam and Dean in order to keep tabs on them for the courts. The Winchesters are aware of him as he is of them, but he doesn't realize whom Gabriel is, despite being very close friends with him and Cas. He DOES know Cas is fae and hiding, but not why and has no interest in causing harm to him and thus keeps it to himself for now.  
> Maggie and Don Stark: Say they're witches, no one actually knows. Akin to Tom Bombadil, they're above both hunters and faeries. Pretty much everyone leaves them alone. Don likes the Winchesters. Maggie likes herself, Don, and animals and children…that's about it.  
> Patrick: Irish luck faerie  
> Lia- was a human who wandered into a faery circle in Ireland long ago, Patrick fell in love on sight and stopped other faeries from tearing her apart or using her up in the dance. He let her go back to her life and worked on woo-ing her. She eventually fell in love with him and came over to faerie and since has become more than human herself. Both of them are friendly with the Winchesters, though Dean is not keen on Patrick's gambles.
> 
> Missouri- Same as in canon, basically. Still a human psychic. Can see faeries without need of aids. A teacher at the university.  
> Charlie- Bffs with Ash and Jo. Human, non-hunter, but in the know.
> 
> Kali- Dark faerie, also demigoddess of her namesake  
> Baldur- Light Faerie, demigod of his namesake 
> 
> Sarah Blake- Works in Maggie's art gallery, is a human but familiar with some of the magical world after dealing with enchanted paintings


End file.
